Can Crochet Cause Injury?
Just one more row has been the cause of a lot of pain & discomfort. You’ve probably arrived at this article because you’re addicted to crochet, currently in pain from crochet or wondering can crochet cause injury?
After long hours of marathon crocheting, you may find yourself with a crochet injury! Now you are terrified that your favorite hobby is ruining your body. In this article, we are going to discuss possible causes of crochet injuries
Can crochet cause injury? Yes, the repetitive movements, posture & tension involved in crocheting can cause repetitive stress injuries, which can affect the nerves, tendons, & muscles. Examples of possible injuries include Carpel tunnel, Tennis Elbow, Trigger Finger, Pseudotumor Deltoideus & Crocheters Thumb. Crocheting can also agitate existing conditions, such as Rheumatoid arthritis.
Crocheting Can Cause Bursitis
Bursitis is a painful condition that affects the small, fluid-filled sacs that cushion the bones, tendons, and muscles near your joints.
This crochet injury occurs when bursae become inflamed. Bursitis often occurs near joints that perform frequent repetitive motion.
A problem that can occur in crocheter is Elbow bursitis, which is caused by prolonged pressure or leaning on your elbows for long periods of time. Typically, this type of bursitis develops over several months.
While crocheting, think about where you are resting your hands. Adjust your position every so often as to not put unwanted pressure on your joints.
The positioning of your hands & arms may cause unwanted pain that can be easily avoided.
Crochet Trigger Finger
On my last crocheting binge, I pushed myself to finish a large project despite my discomfort. After a while, I noticed while holding the yarn, my pointer fingers cramp & lock terribly.
My hands remained cramped for almost three weeks! Because of my obsession with “one last row”, I developed a crochet injury called, Trigger Finger.
Trigger finger happens when the tendons in your finger or thumb become inflamed, they can become stuck or locked into a bent position.
When the tendons in your hands and arms become inflamed or irritated, they cannot move as readily through the thin tunnel of the ligament that holds them in place.
When this happens, you will notice pain, stiffness, and a snapping or popping sound.
Pain relievers & rest from crocheting can help ease the pain. In more extreme cases, immobilization or surgery is necessary to alleviate the stiffness and pain.
Can Crocheting Cause Arthritis?
Crocheting for arthritis is a popular topic amongst us crafters. But should people with arthritis crochet? Or does crocheting cause arthritis?
Crochet can’t cause arthritis, no more than walking can cause it. But of course, crochet can make you feel arthritis that you already have.
To answer these questions more thoroughly, we have to look at the severity of their condition. For example, simple tasks like crocheting can be a very good workout for some people with milder forms of arthritis, while others might find it too difficult to use their fingers.
Arthritis is the swelling and tenderness of one or more of your joints. The main symptoms of arthritis are joint pain and stiffness, which typically worsen with age.
Crocheting actually can help with RA (rheumatoid arthritis) as this can help prevent stiffness & improve mobility in your joints.
It can be an excellent physical activity for people with arthritis. Crochet creates muscle movement in hands, wrists, and fingers that can help strengthen the joints and restore flexibility in arthritic fingers.
As with anything, overdoing can also trigger a flare-up. Make sure you do a proper warm-up for your hands, rest often during the project & stretch your hands afterward. It’s just like working out your body.
Leg & Lower Back pain
Have you ever consider that your lower back pain may be a crochet injury? Crocheting is a sitting hobby, and it’s impossible to sit for long periods of time comfortably. Lower back pain & leg numbness can be eased with the use of an orthopedic seat cushion.
It provides additional support you need to maintain good posture and the natural curve of the spine. By evenly distributing the weight of the body.
Its design helps to increase blood flow, prevents pain in the lower back, helps with muscle fatigue, leg tightness, hamstring.
Crochet Elbow Pain
Unfortunately, elbow pain is a common crochet injury among crocheters. But there are ways to stop the pain and feel better.
Crochet may cause Tennis Elbow which is a painful condition that occurs when tendons in your elbow are overloaded, usually by repetitive motions of the wrist and arm.
It’s important to figure out what type of elbow pain you’re experiencing (e.g., tennis, golfer’s, or weight-lifting). The most common for crocheters is Tennis Elbow.
Your GP or physiotherapist can help you identify the cause of your pain and suggest treatments that will be most effective. If their diagnosis doesn’t seem to match what you’re feeling, it might be worth consulting a second opinion from an expert in the field of physical therapy.
Despite its name, athletes aren’t the only people who develop tennis elbow.
If you crochet for long periods of time, you may experience pain in your elbow. This pain is caused by the repetitive motion of crochet. You may have Tennis Elbow, if there is pain around the outside of the elbow, often due to overuse of the muscles in your arm during crocheting.
The pain from tennis elbow occurs primarily where the tendons of your forearm muscles attach to a bony bump on the outside of your elbow. This pain can also spread into your forearm and wrist.
If you are crocheting with your elbows constantly bent without support (arms in the air), you may eventually develop a tennis elbow.
These pains need not stop crocheters from enjoying their hobby, though! There are some steps that one can take to reduce or prevent muscle:
-Try supporting your arms on a pillow while working on your next project.
– Avoid repetitive motions that affect your elbow joint
– Wearing a compression sleeve
– Change your grip style on the hook
If you are experiencing pain in your elbow, it is important to rest your arms and let them take a break from crocheting for a few days. It might also be helpful to use ice for twenty minutes at a time on your sore area.
You should also pay attention to how you are holding the hook or needle when you crochet so that you are not putting too much pressure on your elbows while you are crocheting.
Can Crocheting Cause Shoulder & neck Pain
I’m sure your neck is killing you, with that horrible crochet posture that you have.
Having your head slumped over & shoulders rolled down for extended periods of time will wreak havoc on you.
Remember to adjust your posture & stretch every once in a while. If you are still having trouble, try using a posture corrector while crocheting.
It will remind you to keep your shoulders rolled back.
Crochet Thumb Pain
Crocheter thumb pain can happen when you hold the crochet hook too tightly for long periods of time. The pain is at the base of your thumb, on the “meaty” area on the palm of the hand. This is commonly known as Crocheters Thumb
Discomfort or pain can be felt while holding something or while closing your hand.
Crochet thumb pain happens when the tendons in the thumb become strained and inflamed. The injury can occur from long hours of crocheting or from a lack of rest days.
The main causes for crochet thumb pain are:
– Repetitive stress on the tendons in your hand and fingers from crocheting over and over again
– Grip pressure on the thumb joint that’s created by holding your crochet hook too tightly (especially when using a metal hook)
Prevention is key. Make sure you are taking a break during your crochet session. I have not personally tried it, but a thumb stabilizer may help with discomfort.
Once you get crocheter’s thumb, rest is the key to healing from this injury, which can last a few weeks.
How To Relieve Thumb Joint Pain
With crochet thumb pain quickly becoming one of the most common complaints among crocheters, I will offer some helpful tips to help you avoid the problem or to get relief when you can’t.
If you crochet for more than an hour, your thumb joints may start to hurt. This is because the position of your hand can cause muscles in your hand and arm to tighten up. Tight muscles can lead to pain and soreness in the joints.
One way to prevent or relieve thumb joint pain is by taking a break from crocheting every once in a while. If you feel any pain during a session, take a break and let your hands rest for 10 minutes before going back at it again.
In order to avoid thumb joint pain, you should wear a thumb guard while crocheting. Thumb guards are available for purchase online or in a store near you.
Pseudotumor Deltoideus
While crocheting, it is important to have your arm comfortably supported. When you let your arm & elbow “float”, your muscles begin to tighten.
Day after day of the constant tight muscles and pulling on the bone, it begins to cause a deformity of the humerus bone, which is permanent, called a Pseudotumor Deltoideus!
According to acrochetedsimplicity.com, In your upper arm, you have a deltoid muscle that looks like 3 separate muscles that come together with tendons at an insertion point on your humerus called the deltoid tuberosity.
If these muscles are constantly tight and never allowed to relax as they should, they begin to pull on the insertion point.
Prevent this by using proper crochet posture. While crocheting makes sure that your arms are always comfortably supported and take breaks.
Tips To Relieve Crochet Pain & Prevent Injury
- Take breaks. The simple act of taking a break can save you so much unnecessary pain. Stop pushing for “one more row”. Work in small burst and stop immediately if you feel any pain or discomfort
- Invest in a good brace. It will protect your thumbs and wrists during strong use or for allowing it to heal. A brace will immobilize the joint and provide heat and compression to the bones and ligaments.
- Wear Compression gloves while crocheting.
- Poor posture while crocheting can lead to neck, back & shoulder pain. Posture correctors help you to maintain proper body alignment for long periods,
- Ergonomic crochet hooks have a thicker handle. A larger handle alleviates wrist pain while crocheting.
- Soak your hands
- Seat cushion assures a comfortable position, helping relieve pain and discomfort
- I recommend hand stretching before, during and after crocheting
- Roll your neck backward, forwards, to the sides gently.
- Shrug shoulders up and down, and roll shoulders forwards and backward.
- With your arms semi-extended, shake your hands.
- Holding your arm just above your elbow, reach over your opposite shoulder.
- Pull your fingers gently back so your wrists flex.
- Clench into a fist, then stretch your fingers as far as they will go.
Watch as we discuss pain management with The Crochet Nurse.
Conclusion
As long as you listen to your body and become proactive, you can continue doing the hobby that you love. Take breaks, stretch & treat your hands to a spa day. Don’t fall into the trap of one last row. Your hands will thank me later.
If you enjoyed this article then check out these two articles: Crochet Machine & Crochet Copyright
